The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-12-08
THE STAR OF BETHLEHEN.

In answer to several inquiries re-
ceived at this Office lately in reference to
the Star of Bethlehem, regarding
which an item has been going the
rounds to the effect that it was now to
be seen in the early morning, we
publish the following communication
to the Burlingsme Independent:
''It is said that the Star of Bethle-
hem, which heralded the birth of
Christ and the beginning of the Chris
tion era. is now visible in the morn
ing, rising about o'clock, shining
with brilliancy far exceeding that OF
any other star. AS it will be over $40
years before it will again be as near
the earth as it is at present, all desir-
ing to see it had better do this by ris-
| ing in the early hours of the morn
| ing"
We clip the foreg DING from an edi-
torial in the Independent of last
week. We have also learned, through
the medium of the school children,
that some of the teachers of the pub
lie school have been teaching the same
thing to their pupils.
We are surprised that the editor of the
Independent or any of our public school
| teachers should have given utterance
/ to snch an erroneous idea. This So
called ''Star of Bethlehem" is no other
than our neighboring planet, Venus,
| whose orbit is nearer the earth than any
of the planets excepting the moon. 1t
/ is now morning star and Will continue
L so until the fore part of July next,
| when it will be invisible for a week or
| two, and then it will appear in the
west as an evening star and viii con-
tinue to be seen in the evening for a
period of about nine and twO-thirds
months, when it will again become a
morning star and so on alternately.
morning and evening star, as it has
doubtless done fol ten thousand years
past. AS such it no doubt heralded the
birth of Christ, but in no other sense
than it has proclaimed thousands OF
other occurrences which have trans.
pired before and since that memorable
event. 1t will not be $40 years before
it again makes its appearance in the
same place, and If any one will take the
trouble and have the patience to wait
nineteen or twenty months they can
behold the identical star, with the same
appearance and in the same locality
| that it now occupies.
Prof. Proctor, who is probably the
highest living authority in these mat
ters, is very doubtful whether such q
star, whose periodical appearance has
/ OCCn bIoSOU aS dDOuL OtO years, CNSl
had an existence. He says no well au
thenticated account exists of its having
appeared $40 or $50 years ago. But be
that as it may, if such a star has a real
| existence it will not do to confOund il
with the planet Venus. She is the
nearest of the primary planets, and we
ought to be sufficiently well acquainted
with our nearest planetary neighboT
not to be in danger of installing heI
for possible mythical stranger, which
only makes a visit earthward once il
$40 years, and a knowledge of whose
existence even depends upon a very
slender tradition.
Mr.. Editor and SchOoi-TeacherS-
allow me TO introduce to you the planet
| Venus. You can arise at o'clock any
clear morning and make your obeiSance
| to her. You will find her the bright
est of the starry hosts, and in some
respects the most interesting. She
adoTns the heavens as a morning
or evening star at NIL seasons of the